235 Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin): Difference between revisions
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'''235 Main Street''' is the displayed address of a commercial building on [[Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|Main Street]] in [[Downtown (Racine, Wisconsin)|downtown]] [[Racine, Wisconsin]]. The building's legal address is '''233 Main Street''', but throughout most of its history it has been known as 235 Main Street, and as of 2020, the building is owned by an organization named 235 Main Street, Inc.<ref name=property-record/> The small white brick building, only {{convert|595|sqft|m2}},<ref name=property-record/><ref name=onyon-2018/> was constructed in 1929, to house one of the first locations in the [[White Tower Hamburgers|White Tower]] chain of 24/7 diners. White Tower operated in the building until 1964, and a similar independent restaurant, White Steer, opened the following year. It was first operated as a pizzeria in 1979, and was occupied by De'Pizza Chef from 1985 to 2018. As of 2020, the building is being renovated and expanded into a new pizza restaurant.
The building is one of 73 contributing properties to the {{w|Old Main Street Historic District (Racine, Wisconsin)|Old Main Street Historic District}}, which is listed on the {{w|National Register of Historic Places}}. Along with the Paramount Radio Stores Building at [[318 Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|318 Main Street]] (also built in 1929), it is one of the newest contributing buildings in the historic district.<ref name=nrhpdoc>{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=87000491}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Old Main Street Historic District |publisher=[[National Park Service]] |author=Don Rintz |date=1987 |accessdate=February 3, 2017 }}</ref>
==History==
Around 1901 and 1903, the address was the location of an electric shoe-shining parlor operated by the Leigler Brothers.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57868541/the-journal-times/ "Reportorial Notes in and out the city"], [[Racine Daily Journal]], May 7, 1901, page 5A.</ref> Another of these parlors was located at [[522 Monument Square (Racine, Wisconsin)|522 Monument Square]].<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57868937/the-journal-times/ "Christmas Greetings: The Journal in Conjunction With Racine Business Men Extends to All The Compliments of The Season"] (advertisements), [[Racine Daily Journal]], December 24, 1903, front page.</ref> It was depicted in the 1908 Sanborn fire insurance map of Racine as the site of a boot-black and horse shed, two of the only wooden frame buildings on a block consisting mostly of larger brick edifices, including the [[Milwaukee Light, Heat and Traction Company (Racine, Wisconsin)|Milwaukee Light, Heat and Traction Company]] {{w|car barn}} and power plant.<ref>[http://racinecounty.net/Sanborn%20Maps%20-%201908/album/index.html#&gid=1&pid=3 Racine 1908 Sanborn Map], p. 2.</ref> In February 1903, the Electric Shining Parlor "stand near Power House"<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57869686/the-journal-times/ "Steal Cigars and Candy; Stand Near Power House Entered Last Night by Unknown Burglar"], [[Racine Daily Journal]], February 9, 1903, page five.</ref> was burglarized by "two youthful characters", who were shown "mercy" in court despite the negative testimony of both boys' fathers.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57869790/racine-journal/ "Mercy is Shown Two Boy Thieves; Judge Smieding Refrains From Sending Young Criminals to Industrial School; Testimony Puts Them In Unenviable Light; Fathers of Dan Corbett and James Hebblethwaite Declare Their Sons Are Incorrigible But Court Gives Them Another Trial"], [[Racine Daily Journal]], February 13, 1903, page two.</ref>
The site continued to be the location of a boot-black operated by James Vakos around 1913,<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57871349/the-journal-times/ Classified advertisement], [[Racine Daily Journal]], June 23, 1913, page eleven.</ref> and by Theophilos & Feliandrianos around 1916.<ref>[http://racinecounty.net/CityDir1916/index.html#page=192 Racine 1916 City Directory], p. 182.</ref> The 1925 Racine City Directory lists the address as the site of a confectionary run by Samuel Galos.<ref>[http://racinecounty.net/CityDir1925/index.html#page=689 Racine City Directory 1925], page 685.</ref>
The current building was constructed in 1929, to serve as the location of Racine's second [[White Tower Hamburgers|White Tower]] hamburger restaurant (the first was located at [[420 6th Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|420 6th Street]]).<ref name=history-1980>Tancill, Karen B. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57786300/the-journal-times/ "Tiny towers once reigned as royalty of burgerland"], [[Racine Journal Times]], August 17, 1980, page 1E and [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57786397/the-journal-times/ 2E].</ref> After being modernized, the restaurant reopened on September 15, 1947.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57874490/the-journal-times/ Advertisement], [[Racine Journal Times]], September 14, 1947, page 2.</ref>
Donald Boutell purchased the building on December 22, 1964.<ref name=property-record/> The new owners of the restaurant reopened it in March 1965 as White Steer.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57787247/the-journal-times/ Advertisement], [[Racine Journal Times]], March 27, 1965, page 7A.</ref> White Steer was put up for sale in September 1976,<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57811046/the-journal-times/ Classified advertisement, 748: Business Property for Sale"], [[Racine Journal Times]], September 15, 1976, page 7E.</ref> and Boutell sold the building to Paul Cortese, then the owner of Paul's Pizzeria at [[1300 Grange Avenue (Racine, Wisconsin)|1300 Grange Avenue]], on November 16, 1977.<ref name=property-record/><ref name=cortese-1990/> Cortese opened a second Paul's Pizzeria location in the building in 1979.<ref name=history-1980/><ref name=cortese-1990/> Between May 1 and 2, 1982, both Paul's Pizzeria locations were briefly closed by the [[City of Racine Public Health Department|city health department]] after thirteen people were treated for foodborne illness after eating a carryout order of chicken.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57811278/the-journal-times/ "Two restaurants checked after reports of illness"], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 3, 1982, page 6A.</ref> An investigation was unable to find evidence that food from Paul's was responsible for the illnesses.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57811320/the-journal-times/ "Food poisoning checks clear Paul's"], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 28, 1982, page 5A.</ref>
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==External links==
* {{OpenStreetMap|way/350708418|233 Main Street}}
* [https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Property/HI21421 Property Record: 235 MAIN ST], {{w|Wisconsin Historical Society}}
[[Category:Buildings on Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin)]]
[[Category:White Tower locations in Wisconsin]]
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